Purifier in drain vent pipes



March '17, 1931. G. D. BRADSHAW 1, 9 4

PURIF'IER IN DRAIN VENT PIPES Filed Sept. 30. 1927 [/v VE/Y o: Z5 I 5Gran zlfircim fi Patented Maia-17, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEGRANT D. BRADSHAW, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO BLAV-KNOXCOMPANY, BLAXVNGX, PENNSYLVANIh, B. CGRIEORA'IIGN OF NEW JERSEY PURIFIERIN DRAIIT VENT PIPES Application filed September 30, 1927.

This invention relates to fluid separators and particularly those usedfor purifying gases such as steam by separating from the gases liquidparticles and other impurities.

5) It has for one of its objects providing means for increasing theefiiciency and the capacity of the separators by reducing the tendencyof the Water chambers and passageways of the separator to overflow orbecome clogged, and a particular object is to provide improved means forthe passage of air, steam, or other gases from the water passageways andpipes and collecting chambers so as to prevent interference with thefree flow of the water or other liquids.

Although the invention is applicable to Various types of separators usedfor various purposes, yet for the purposes of illustrating my inventionI describe it as applied to steam separators used for drying andpurifying the steam in boilers, and particularly to that type ofseparator known to the trade as Tracyfiers.

Of the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of a boiler andsteam purifying system which embodies the features of my invention, theboiler of the system being in section; Fi 2 is an enlarged transversesectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is'a verticalsectional view along the line 33 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is an enlargedsectional View along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

In my copending patent application, Serial No. 211,286 I have shownasteam purifying system in which the purifying elements are mounted in aboiler. and the moisture separated from the steam is passed into a steamtrap and a vent pipe is provided leading from the steam trap to thepurifier so as to reduce thetendency of the drain pipes or steam trap tobecome clogged with water. The object of the present application is similar but it is sometimes desirable to connect.

the vent pipe to the system at a point where the pressure is as low aspossible so as to increase the tendency of the entrapped steam or air toflow out of the steam trap. I have therefore in this present applicationconnected the vent pipe with the steam main of the boiler system. Also,whenever the steam Serial N 0. 223,014.

vent is connected to the steam chambers or pipes of the system I havefound it desirable to insure the purity of the steam or gas which flowsback through the vent to the system. For this purpose I insert in thevent pipe means for purifying the gas that isreturned to the system.

In carrying out my invention in this instance l have applied it to aboiler system in which the steam separator 10 is mounted on the boileror drum 11. A system of drain pipes 12 is connected to the purifier inany suitable manner,-and the drain pipes are connected to a steam trap13. The steam trap may be of any suitable construction for the purposeof receiving waste water and discharging it wherever desired, and it hasa water space 17 and a steam space 18. In order to relieve the steamtrap of any pressure which might result from the accumulation of air orsteam in the trap, I provide a vent pipe 14 connecting the upper portionof the steam trap with the boiler system. While the pipe 14 might beconnected with the steam purifieritself or to any portion of the boilersystem, I prefer to connect it by means of a pipe 15 with the steam main16 of the boiler system. As is well understood, the steam pressure inthe steam main is normally somewhat lower than the pressure in theboiler or in the steam chambers of the purifier; so that, with the pipeconnected to the steam main, the entrained steam or gas passes morefreely out of the trap or out of the drain system 12.

Inasmuch as, with a system of this nature,

the aim is to purify and dry the steam very perfectly, it is desirableto dry and purify the steam which passes from the steam trap into thesteam main. sert in the vent pipe 14 any suitable steam purifying meanssuch as the purifier 20.

lWhile it is to be understood that any suitable purifying means may beused for this purpose, yet I prefer the purifier which comprises acasing21 in which are mounted vertically steam purifying baffles lhe steampasses from the steam trap 13 into the purifier 20, and in passingthrough the purifier it passes through the bafiles 22 and thus For thispurpose I ina through the pipe 15 to the steam main. The moisture thatis separated from the steam by the purifier 20, and any impurities, fiowdownwardly to the lower ends of the battles 22 into the chamber 23 andthus to the pipe 2% into the water chamber of the tra A plate above thechamber 23 prevents the steam or water from the trap or the pipes l-lor2-i from passing through the purifier 20 without passing through thebattles It will thus be seen that l have provided means whereby theboiler purifier will be freely drained of its waste water. Any steam orair which does not pass freely back from the drain pipes to the boilerpurifier, will be carried by the waste water into the trap, and .inthere it will pass 'lreely into the steam system of the boiler. But thepurifier 2O prevents any moi we or impurities of any nature from passingwith the air or steam back into the boiler system. Obviously,modifications might be made in the apparatus that I have illustrated andde scribed without departing from the spirit of my invention. Anl I donot wish to limit my invention to a purifier mounted in the boiler. Thebenefit of the invention would follow the use of a purifier anywhere inconnection with the boiler system, such as mounted in the steam main ofthe system.

lowever, in order to provide for a free flow of gas from the trap backto the generating system, it is desirable to connect the return pipe 15to the system at a point where the pressure in the system is lower thanthe pressure on the liquid flowing into the drain pipe 12 to the tap.For this reason, I prefer to connect the return pipe to the gas main ofthe system, and I thus obtain the benefit of the fall in pressurebetween the liquid chamber 30 of the purifier to the gas main 16, owingin part to the passage of the gas through the battles 27 and through thesteam inlet 31. However, the particular manner in which this tall inpressure is produced is not a feature of my invention. For instance, thepipe 15 might communicate with the passageway 33 of the purifier. Theplate 3+1: and the steam fiow distributing means 32 would provide amplepressure drop for the purpose. As there is no steam flow through toelower ends of the bafiles 27 into the water chamber 30, the pressure inthis chamber is substantially equal to the steam pressure of the boiler,while the pressure in the chamber 35, o ving to the flow of steamthrough the bafiies, is materially less than the pressure in the boiler.

On the other hand, in case of the purifier 20, the drain pipe 2l isconnected at a point of lower pressure than the vent pipe 142, and,hence, to provide flow downwardly in the pipe 24;, a water head in thepipe is desirable, and this is provided for by elevating the purifiermaterially above the trap.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination 01 a steam boiler systen'i, a steam trap, a steampurifier arranged to purify the steam generated by the boiler of saidsystem, a drain pipe connecting said purifier with said trap, 21 secondsteam purifier, a steam pipe or conducting steam from said secondpurifier to said sys tem, steam pipe for conducting steam from said trapto said second purifier, and a drain pipe coimectingsaid second purifierwith said trap.

The combination oi a steam boiler having a steam main, a steam trap andtwo steam purifiers said trap and said purifiers each having a steamspace and a water space, one of said purifiers being mounted in saidboiler, pipes opcrativcly connecting the steam space of the otherpurifier respectively with said steam main and with the steam space ofthe trap, and a pipe arranged to conduct water from the water space ofeach purifier to the water space or the trap.

3. The combination of trap and two gas purifiers, each of said purifiershaving a gas inlet, gas outlet and a liquid outlet, said trap having twoliquid inlets and a outlet, a pipe for conducting liquids from each ofsaid purifier liquid outlets to said trap inlets, a pipe for conductinggas from said trap gas outlet to one of said purifier inlets, andcommunicating means connecting said purifier gas outlets.

4.-. The combination of a gas generating system, a liquld trap, and agas drier having a liquid collecting chamber, the system having a gasmam for delivering gas from the generator oi the system through thedrier, a drain pipe for conducting liquid from the liquid chamber of thedrier to said trap, and means for conducting gas from said trap to thegas main of said system.

5. The combination of a steam boiler, a steam purifier, and a steamtrap, said purifier having a water chamber and a steam chamber, a pipefor conducting water from said water chamber to said trap, a p1pe forconducting gas iirom said trap and communicating with said steamchamber, and means for preventing steam ilow trom said water chamber tosaid steam chamber.

6. The combination of a steam trap and a steam purifier, said traphaving a water space and a steam space, said purifier having a waterchamber and a single steam inlet, means for conducting steam from saidsteam chamber of the trap to said steam inlet, and a pipe for conductingwater from the water chamber of the purifier to the lower portion of thewater space of the trap, said pipe running upwardly from its point ofconnection with said trap a very material distance, and said steamcommunicating means being free from water pockets.

7. The combination of a steam purifier lLej perforate, a pipe forconducting steam from I said trap to said inlet, a pipe for conductingwater from said water outlet to said trap,

and means for passing steam away from said purifier through said steamoutlet.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

GRANT D. BRAD SHAW.

